OT: Thermite Reaction

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S

Simon Isaacs

Guest
Can't remember who it was who asked if you could still do the thermite
reaction in schools, spoke to our science dept, and the answer is
yes.....*but* it has to take place at least 25m away from the kids,
and behind protective screens that will absorb the impact of any
exploding particles.

Has upset the head of science cos he used to love the thermite
reaction..... but the procedures in place now make it all but
impossible to demonstrate it.

The fun police have ruined yet another part of our life.
--

Simon Isaacs

Peterborough 4x4 Club Newsletter Editor and Webmaster
Green Lane Association (GLASS) Financial Director
101 Ambi, undergoing camper conversion www.simoni.co.uk
1976 S3 LWT, Fully restored, ready for sale! Make me an offer!
Suzuki SJ410 (Wife's) 3" lift kit fitted, body shell now restored and mounted on chassis, waiting on a windscreen and MOT
Series 3 88" Rolling chassis...what to do next
1993 200 TDi Discovery
1994 200 TDi Discovery body sheel, being bobbed and modded.....
 
Simon Isaacs wrote:
> Can't remember who it was who asked if you could still do the thermite
> reaction in schools, spoke to our science dept, and the answer is
> yes.....*but* it has to take place at least 25m away from the kids,
> and behind protective screens that will absorb the impact of any
> exploding particles.
..0

Thermite at the Unofficial then ?

Steve
 

"steve" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Simon Isaacs wrote:
>> Can't remember who it was who asked if you could still do the thermite
>> reaction in schools, spoke to our science dept, and the answer is
>> yes.....*but* it has to take place at least 25m away from the kids,
>> and behind protective screens that will absorb the impact of any
>> exploding particles.
> .0
>
> Thermite at the Unofficial then ?
>
> Steve

I reckon a 'brianiac' type do then?

LOL!

Nige


 
Nige <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz
funny about:

> I reckon a 'brianiac' type do then?
>
> LOL!
>
> Nige

You _were_ lurking at the last one then? ;-)



 
On Wed, 01 Mar 2006 22:07:17 +0000, steve
<[email protected]> scribbled the following nonsense:

>Simon Isaacs wrote:
>> Can't remember who it was who asked if you could still do the thermite
>> reaction in schools, spoke to our science dept, and the answer is
>> yes.....*but* it has to take place at least 25m away from the kids,
>> and behind protective screens that will absorb the impact of any
>> exploding particles.
>.0
>
>Thermite at the Unofficial then ?
>
>Steve
now that could be a thought for lighting the BBQ!!
--

Simon Isaacs

Peterborough 4x4 Club Newsletter Editor and Webmaster
Green Lane Association (GLASS) Financial Director
101 Ambi, undergoing camper conversion www.simoni.co.uk
1976 S3 LWT, Fully restored, ready for sale! Make me an offer!
Suzuki SJ410 (Wife's) 3" lift kit fitted, body shell now restored and mounted on chassis, waiting on a windscreen and MOT
Series 3 88" Rolling chassis...what to do next
1993 200 TDi Discovery
1994 200 TDi Discovery body sheel, being bobbed and modded.....
 
I remember this being demonstrated at school in the early 70s and it
blew a hole in one of the ceiling tiles in the lab, was well impressed
sat only 10 feet away among all the bottles of acid, alkalis and other
amusing chemicals.

Sean

 
....and [email protected] spake unto the tribes of Usenet, saying...


> I remember this being demonstrated at school in the early 70s and it
> blew a hole in one of the ceiling tiles in the lab, was well impressed
> sat only 10 feet away among all the bottles of acid, alkalis and other
> amusing chemicals.
>
> Sean

Yes, and cleaning all your small change in conc sulphuric when the teacher
went out for a smoke mid-lesson.

He came back quick one day and one kid didn't have time to rinse his coins
properly before he put them back in his pocket. <hysterical laughter>

Plus lighting the bunsen gas directly at the bench taps.

I'm amazed any of us are here. :)

--
Rich
==============================

There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary
and those who don't.


 
....and Simon Isaacs spake unto the tribes of Usenet, saying...

>> Thermite at the Unofficial then ?
>>
>> Steve
> now that could be a thought for lighting the BBQ!!

As a schoolboy I thought it was quite good fun to sit 10 feet away from a
Thermite reaction, but the Land Rover is too precious. 25m be damned - I'd
insist on half a mile.

--
Rich
==============================

There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary
and those who don't.


 

"Simon Isaacs" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Can't remember who it was who asked if you could still do the thermite
> reaction in schools, spoke to our science dept, and the answer is
> yes.....*but* it has to take place at least 25m away from the kids,
> and behind protective screens that will absorb the impact of any
> exploding particles.
>
> Has upset the head of science cos he used to love the thermite
> reaction..... but the procedures in place now make it all but
> impossible to demonstrate it.
>
> The fun police have ruined yet another part of our life.
> --
>
bobbed and modded.....

If you are reffering to Aluminium / Iron Oxide then I'd say that risk
assessment is ridiculous. Done it for 25 years and never had a problem.
You need to ensure you use ******managable***** amounts and ensure the
safety screen is next to the reaction ( either in a small silica crucible or
in a fluted filter paper over a volume of water)
Use youe CLEAPPS guide for ideas and advice. I suggest whoever advised your
HoF about the reaction and risk gets another job as he has no idea of the
safety of science or the risks in Chemistry

John H


 
Richard Brookman wrote:

> Plus lighting the bunsen gas directly at the bench taps.

I have memories of doing that, including lighting the tap that shot
flame across the doorway and managing to burn the shirt off the deputy
headmaster when he wandered through said doorway whilst it was lit. :)

--
EMB
 
On Thu, 02 Mar 2006 16:50:16 +1300, EMB <[email protected]> scribbled
the following nonsense:

>Richard Brookman wrote:
>
>> Plus lighting the bunsen gas directly at the bench taps.
>
>I have memories of doing that, including lighting the tap that shot
>flame across the doorway and managing to burn the shirt off the deputy
>headmaster when he wandered through said doorway whilst it was lit. :)

i put some hexane in a sink and dropped a lit splint into it to see
what would happen. Teacher turned the taps on to put it out.....

One of the funniest things to do with a bunsen was to connect it to a
tap and turn the tap on, cue water fights across the lab....
--

Simon Isaacs

Peterborough 4x4 Club Newsletter Editor and Webmaster
Green Lane Association (GLASS) Financial Director
101 Ambi, undergoing camper conversion www.simoni.co.uk
1976 S3 LWT, Fully restored, ready for sale! Make me an offer!
Suzuki SJ410 (Wife's) 3" lift kit fitted, body shell now restored and mounted on chassis, waiting on a windscreen and MOT
Series 3 88" Rolling chassis...what to do next
1993 200 TDi Discovery
1994 200 TDi Discovery body sheel, being bobbed and modded.....
 
On Wed, 01 Mar 2006 23:48:22 GMT, "Hirsty's" <[email protected]>
scribbled the following nonsense:

>
>"Simon Isaacs" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Can't remember who it was who asked if you could still do the thermite
>> reaction in schools, spoke to our science dept, and the answer is
>> yes.....*but* it has to take place at least 25m away from the kids,
>> and behind protective screens that will absorb the impact of any
>> exploding particles.
>>
>> Has upset the head of science cos he used to love the thermite
>> reaction..... but the procedures in place now make it all but
>> impossible to demonstrate it.
>>
>> The fun police have ruined yet another part of our life.
>> --
>>
> bobbed and modded.....
>
>If you are reffering to Aluminium / Iron Oxide then I'd say that risk
>assessment is ridiculous. Done it for 25 years and never had a problem.
>You need to ensure you use ******managable***** amounts and ensure the
>safety screen is next to the reaction ( either in a small silica crucible or
>in a fluted filter paper over a volume of water)
>Use youe CLEAPPS guide for ideas and advice. I suggest whoever advised your
>HoF about the reaction and risk gets another job as he has no idea of the
>safety of science or the risks in Chemistry
>

directive from the county council education services..... clueless
buggers who sit in offices all day, and have never worked in a school!
--

Simon Isaacs

Peterborough 4x4 Club Newsletter Editor and Webmaster
Green Lane Association (GLASS) Financial Director
101 Ambi, undergoing camper conversion www.simoni.co.uk
1976 S3 LWT, Fully restored, ready for sale! Make me an offer!
Suzuki SJ410 (Wife's) 3" lift kit fitted, body shell now restored and mounted on chassis, waiting on a windscreen and MOT
Series 3 88" Rolling chassis...what to do next
1993 200 TDi Discovery
1994 200 TDi Discovery body sheel, being bobbed and modded.....
 
On or around Wed, 01 Mar 2006 22:07:17 +0000, steve
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>Simon Isaacs wrote:
>> Can't remember who it was who asked if you could still do the thermite
>> reaction in schools, spoke to our science dept, and the answer is
>> yes.....*but* it has to take place at least 25m away from the kids,
>> and behind protective screens that will absorb the impact of any
>> exploding particles.
>.0
>
>Thermite at the Unofficial then ?
>
>Steve

oooh, fun.

I remember "Ferric" Eric Slaymaker (now gone to his reward), our chemistry
teacher, demonstrating all sorts of stuff, including reduction of mercuric
oxide, the combining of hydrogen and water (contained in a beer bottle),
which made a nice bang, and the alkali metals: Lithium (boring) Sodium (fun,
buzzes around on the water) Potassium (buzzes around madly and then goes on
fire with a pretty purple flame) and the next one up - Francium? which he
got a small piece on a theatrically long spatula thing and hid behind a
screen to tip it into the water, whereupon it went bang and split the water
dish asunder.

I think it was he who did a demo about water on oil fires, by putting some
petrol in a crucible, setting it on fire and then pouring water on it.
flames all over the bench :)
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; and
therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee"
John Donne (1571? - 1631) Devotions, XVII
 
On or around Wed, 1 Mar 2006 22:46:57 -0000, "Richard Brookman"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>...and [email protected] spake unto the tribes of Usenet, saying...
>
>
>> I remember this being demonstrated at school in the early 70s and it
>> blew a hole in one of the ceiling tiles in the lab, was well impressed
>> sat only 10 feet away among all the bottles of acid, alkalis and other
>> amusing chemicals.
>>
>> Sean
>
>Yes, and cleaning all your small change in conc sulphuric when the teacher
>went out for a smoke mid-lesson.
>
>He came back quick one day and one kid didn't have time to rinse his coins
>properly before he put them back in his pocket. <hysterical laughter>
>
>Plus lighting the bunsen gas directly at the bench taps.
>
>I'm amazed any of us are here. :)

I assume you did the one about connecting the bunsen burner to the water
taps...
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; and
therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee"
John Donne (1571? - 1631) Devotions, XVII
 
Simon Isaacs wrote:
> i put some hexane in a sink and dropped a lit splint into it to see
> what would happen. Teacher turned the taps on to put it out.....
>
> One of the funniest things to do with a bunsen was to connect it to a
> tap and turn the tap on, cue water fights across the lab....

We were attempting to calculate the empirical formula of magnesium oxide.
I had a defective bunson, so foolishly decided to cool the equipment and
start again. Water on the crucible turned to hot steam and set the
magnesium on fire. The tiny crucible jetted a 12" purple blue and yellow
flame until all the magnesium was gone. The teacher Mr Bennett only saw
the last second of flaming metal, and seemed rather impressed.

He also had us making flame throwers that spat burning ethanol across
the bench tops (it was supposed to be small amounts of ethene coming out).

We never got to see the thermite reaction though.

DavidM
 
>> One of the funniest things to do with a bunsen was to connect it to a
>> tap and turn the tap on, cue water fights across the lab....
>
> We were attempting to calculate the empirical formula of magnesium oxide.
> I had a defective bunson, so foolishly decided to cool the equipment and
> start again. Water on the crucible turned to hot steam and set the
> magnesium on fire. The tiny crucible jetted a 12" purple blue and yellow
> flame until all the magnesium was gone. The teacher Mr Bennett only saw
> the last second of flaming metal, and seemed rather impressed.
>
> He also had us making flame throwers that spat burning ethanol across
> the bench tops (it was supposed to be small amounts of ethene coming out).

Hell I went to a boring school ! :(

Best I ever remember is the kid who used to take a mouth full of
gas from the gas tap and then burn it as he exhaled. Don't ever
remember us or the teacher blowing things up chemically, only
thing I remember blowing up is the one with the canister that you
let slowly fill with gas until the gas / air mix gets to that
crucial point and makes the canister explode.

Matt
 

> >>
> > bobbed and modded.....
> >
> >If you are reffering to Aluminium / Iron Oxide then I'd say that risk
> >assessment is ridiculous. Done it for 25 years and never had a problem.
> >You need to ensure you use ******managable***** amounts and ensure the
> >safety screen is next to the reaction ( either in a small silica crucible
or
> >in a fluted filter paper over a volume of water)
> >Use youe CLEAPPS guide for ideas and advice. I suggest whoever advised
your
> >HoF about the reaction and risk gets another job as he has no idea of the
> >safety of science or the risks in Chemistry
> >
>
> directive from the county council education services..... clueless
> buggers who sit in offices all day, and have never worked in a school!
> --
body sheel, being bobbed and modded.....


Contact National Press and have a quiet word about this , pointing out that
as a country we are short of Scientists and one of the reasons is the PC
brigade that have to justify their jobs


 
Simon Isaacs wrote:

>> Steve
> now that could be a thought for lighting the BBQ!!
Here is some archive shots of my friends at the Central Metallurgicval
research Institute (CMRDI) in Helwan Near Cairo. They are preparing
Titanium Dioxide by a Thermite reduction. This is their party piece. And
I thought we are all mad in AFL.

http://www.thetaylorfamily.org.uk/cmrdi3/Page0002.htm

There are some intermediate shots somewhere, the reaction was pre-warmed
with an oxy-propane torch whilst occasional soupcon of magnesium powder
were applied withg a delicate touch, from a bag about the size of a bag
of sugar. Then they threw the whole bag in the pot and started running.

Steve
 
I remember blowing into a gas tap while a bunsen was alight further down the
bench. Turns the bunsen into a flame thrower!

I think one of our masters ( we didn't call 'em teachers at a school like
that ) manged to blow up a complex glass arrangement. Would it have been
called a Kipps Apparatus?

And "Duggie" Harrison our chemistry chap ( "don't shake it lad, AGITATE it!
SFx - broad Yorkshire accent....) standing on the end of a boiling tube that
was on the floor and shooting it at high speed across the room until it
smashed on the opposite wall. Apparently his " Eeh, boogger it!" could be
heard across the whole science block.

TonyB


 
On Thu, 2 Mar 2006 22:58:05 +0000 (UTC), "TonyB"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I remember blowing into a gas tap while a bunsen was alight further down the
>bench. Turns the bunsen into a flame thrower!
>
>I think one of our masters ( we didn't call 'em teachers at a school like
>that ) manged to blow up a complex glass arrangement. Would it have been
>called a Kipps Apparatus?
>

We had one who had a habit of applying his fag lighter directly to a
fully open gas tap in order to demonstrate the dangers inherent in
leaking gas.....

I also remember several exciting incidents with a rather young and
inexperience chemistry mistress, involving much mucking about with
Hexane and Hexene, and discovering by accident the flash point - it
nearly had her eyebrows off when she took the damp cloth off the patch
of burning desk and the flames shot up again....

There was also a physics master who had a habit of waking up us kids
who were having a nice doze in the summer sun by chucking his keys
across the room at us.

Alex
 
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